Thursday, November 29, 2012

In Chess (& Small Business) Lies & Hypocrisy Do Not Last Long

By Pascal Dennis
I paraphrase the great Emmanuel Lasker, philosopher, mathematician, and world chess champ from 1894 to 1920.
One of the great charms of chess is its binary nature.
You win or lose based on

The strength of your ideas, and

Your skill & courage in implementing them

(Note: nowadays you can download grandmaster level chess programs on to your Pad!)
Is Lasker's maxim true in business?
In small business, I'd say Yes.

Our success or failure depends on the depth of our strategic understanding, and the energy & intelligence with which we execute.
(Luck plays a part too, of course, as always & everywhere.)
How about BIG business?
Based on my experience, I'd say Yes - with important reservations.
Monopoly, oligopoly, and market rigging (e.g. to keep competition out) are all too common.
(The countermeasure is intelligent regulation in accord with the "Less is More" principle)
Another exception is large companies suffering from Big Company Disease, the villain in my last book, The Remedy
Perhaps the greatest power of the Toyota Business System (aka "Lean") is its ability to make problems visible.
Lasker might add, "thereby, we expose lies & hypocrisy."
Good Lean companies are thus, a meritocracy.
The best & brightest prosper, and bozos are exposed.
Best,
Pascal